Nicola Sturgeon has hit out at Conservatives for attacking Jeremy Corbyn over allegations he called Theresa May a "stupid woman" while also defending the two-child cap for Universal Credit and its associated "rape clause".
It came after the Labour leader was urged to "apologise or clarify" what he was saying after being accused of mouthing the words at Mrs May during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.
Video showed the opposition leader saying something under his breath after the Prime Minister likened Labour's attempt to table a no confidence motion in her to a pantomime.
Speaking in Downing Street after a meeting with Mrs May, Ms Sturgeon said she had not personally seen the film of Mr Corbyn's comments.
The First Minister added: "If he did say it, I don't think that's an acceptable comment and he should apologise for it.
"That said, I do think there is something ironic and perhaps a bit galling to hear Tories who defend the rape clause pretend that they've suddenly found feminism."
The allegations against Mr Corbyn drew a strong response from the Conservatives.
Commenting on the row, Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis said on Twitter: "Will @jeremycorbyn apologise or clarify exactly what he was saying? Looks shocking on the film, unacceptable in any environment."
Health Secretary Matt Hancock wrote on Twitter: "The mask slips. Jeremy Corbyn's abuse of the Prime Minister shows what a reactionary misogynist he is."
He added: "Unreal how Corbyn supporters are actually *defending* him calling the PM a "stupid woman". Sickening. This misogyny now runs deep in Corbyn's Labour - and runs right to the top."
Labour MP Stella Creasy, who has talked publicly about misogynist abuse she has faced on social media, wrote on Twitter: "This is not ok.
"PMQs is a hotbed of emotions but I hope that Jeremy will accept this kind of behaviour isn't his normal good nature or what we expect of progressive men #21stcenturycalling. "
Tory former minister Sir Patrick McLoughlin used a point of order during PMQs to accuse Mr Corbyn of having "muttered" that Theresa May was a "stupid woman".
Cries of "shame" and "disgraceful" were heard from the Tory benches at this point.
Sir Patrick added: "Would it not be appropriate for him to come back into this chamber and apologise?"
SNP MP Stewart McDonald tweeted: "If Corbyn did say the PM was a 'stupid woman' then yes, its a disgrace and he should apologise.
"Am I to believe that the hoards of male Tory MPs - some the most obnoxious people I've ever come across - feigning outrage are being sincere? No."
Speaker John Bercow, who initially delayed taking the point of order, said: "As he rightly surmised at the start of it, I saw no such thing, I'm not making an allegation and I'm not denying or seeking to refute that of (Sir Patrick).
"I cannot be expected to pronounce upon that which I did not see and which was not witnessed by my advisers, and which I did not hear and which was not witnessed by my advisers."
He added if an MP failed to follow the conventions of the House then they have a responsibility to apologise.
His comment led Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom to make her own point of order, standing up to ask Mr Bercow: "If individuals who are found to have made unwelcome remarks should apologise, why it is that when an opposition member found that you had called me a 'stupid woman', you did not apologise in this chamber?"
After repeated jeers and banging from Tory MPs, Mr Bercow said: "No no I'll deal with the point.
"I dealt with that point months ago in remarks that I made to the House of Commons to which Ms Leadsom in our various meetings since has made no reference and which requires from the chair today no elaboration whatsoever."
The Speaker added that "the matter has been treated of and I am leaving it there".
Joanna Cherry, SNP MP for Edinburgh South West, tweeted that today's scenes at Prime Minster's Questions were the House of Commons "at its obnoxious worst".
"I can say (from) bitter experience that sexism is present in all political parties but this is like the last days of Ancient Rome," she added.
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